The Alien Anthology coming to Blu-Ray October 26

[Escapay]

Home Cinema @ The Digital Fix has the full story, but here's some highlights:

1. It's coming to the UK on October 25 (that's the link I posted) and to the US on October 26. SRP for the US is $139.99 (roughly $23.33 per disc, or if you count the two bonus discs as free, then $35 per movie).

2. Both versions of each film are included via seamless branching, and also offer a "MU-TH-UR Mode Interactive Experience with Weyland-Yutani Datastream", which likely will include the new commentaries that Sigourney Weaver recorded (for all four films!) last year.

3. The original uncut version of Wreckage and Rape: The Making of Alien3 will be included. The 2003 DVD cut out 20 minutes of material (most of which was about how Fox executives screwed over David Fincher, with cast/crew recalling this as well as footage of Fincher on set saying more or less the same thing), which is one reason why I've never bought the Alien 3 two-disc set. Having the original uncut version will be worth the pricetag alone. In addition, all the documentaries will now contain "enhancement pods" that include additional footage and interview outtakes. Thus, what was already a 12-hour documentary (3 hours per film) will be even longer!

4. ALL the extras from the 1991 & 1992 laserdiscs, 1999 DVDs, and 2003 DVDs are included. This includes things such as Ridley Scott's original commentary, the original score for Alien, the 23-minute "Making of Alien 3, and the mail-in-to-get-it The Alien Legacy documentary (which was included in the boxset for other regions).

5. The Alien Saga, a documentary from 2002, is included.

6. Both versions of Alien Evolution (Channel 4 documentary from the UK) is included: the broadcast version covering all 4 films, and the DVD version that covers just Alien.

7. Among some of the new "archival" material offered is the infamous "Burke Cocooned" deleted scene from Aliens and the complete video for "Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright" (which debuted at Fisherman's Wharf's Turbo Ride Simulation Theatre in 1996). I had a chance to experience "Ride at the Speed of Fright" that year, and it's quite a good follow-up/semi-sequel to Aliens, retaining the same feel and visuals of the film.

Quick Disc Breakdown:

Disc One:
Alien: 1979 Theatrical Version
Alien: 2003 Director's Cut
Director's Introduction
2003 Commentary
1999 Commentary
Final Theatrical Score
Composer's Original Score
Deleted & Extended Scenes
MU-TH-UR Mode

Disc Two:
Aliens: 1986 Theatrical Version
Aliens: 1991 Special Edition
Director's Introduction
2003 Commentary
Final Theatrical Score
Composer's Original Score
Deleted & Extended Scenes
MU-TH-UR Mode

Disc Three:
Alien3: 1991 Theatrical Version
Alien3: 2003 Special Edition (Restored Workprint Version)
2003 Commentary
Final Theatrical Score
Deleted & Extended Scenes
MU-TH-UR Mode

Disc Four:
Alien Resurrection: 1997 Theatrical Version
Alien Resurrection: 2003 Special Edition
Director's Introduction
2003 Commentary
Final Theatrical Score
Deleted & Extended Scenes
MU-TH-UR Mode

Disc Five: Making The Anthology
The Beast Within: The Making of Alien
Superior Firepower: The Making of Aliens
Wreckage and Rape: The Making of Alien3
One Step Beyond: The Making of Alien Resurrection
Enhancement Pods for all four documentaries

Disc Six The Anthology Archives
Alien Archives
1992 Laserdisc Archive
1999 DVD Features
2003 DVD Features
+
The Alien Legacy

Aliens Archives
1991 Laserdisc Archive
1999 DVD Features
2003 DVD Features
+
Colonial Marine Helmet-Cam
Deleted Scenes
Aliens: Ride at the Speed of Fright

Alien3 Archives
1999 DVD Features
2003 DVD Features

Alien Resurrection Archives
1999 DVD Features
2003 DVD Features
+
HBO First Look (never released to DVD)

Alien Anthology Archives
2003 DVD Features
+
Alien Evolution: Broadcast Version
The Alien Saga
Parodies
MU-TH-UR Mode

This has the making to be the best Blu-Ray of the year, simply on the strength of the already-excellent special features. Hopefully Fox won't Predator-ize the transfers.

albert

[PixarFan2006]

Great, and I just got the dvd set last Christmas. No point in upgrading so soon. I've only watched the first film in the set, so I still need to watch the other three movies eventually.

[Khonnor]

Yeh, I heard this a while back. Also seen pictures of the set and it looks kinda cool!

For pictures, check the first post in the following link:
http://www.dvd.nl/forum/showthread.php?t=74020&page=2

[Mickeyfan1990]

Definitely the biggest Blu release of the year!

[Disneykid]

Despite having a birthday in October, that month is already jam packed with titles I want, so I'll be asking for this for Christmas. I'm exhausted just looking at the specs list. THAT's the way to do a catalogue title: port over EVERYTHING from every previous home video release and add some more stuff to entice a purchase.

[Scamander]

great, I love it!!

[REINIER]

As a hardcore fan I don not really like the packaging of any of these sets

I mean, statues nice and all, but I think it's rather tacky, and the
discs themselves aren't as nice either...

The normal set is ok, but only just...

What do y'all think?

[KubrickFan]

Honestly, with all the supplements that are included, I don't really care what the packaging will look like . I think both look great, but I haven't decided whether to go for the egg, or the regular edition.

[blackcauldron85]

Wow, maybe I didn't sleep enough...

I clicked on this thread because I had read the title as Tim Allen Anthology...

[Lazario]

Wow, maybe I didn't sleep enough...

I clicked on this thread because I had read the title as Tim Allen Anthology...

Been there.

Pretty disc colors. Too bad they don't design stuff that cool for standard disc sets anymore.

[Mickeyfan1990]

James Cameron talks about the new Aliens transfer:

http://www.blu-ray.com/news/?id=5007

"During an interview to promote the Avatar theatrical re-release, director James Cameron also mentioned that he had just done "a complete remaster of Aliens" (included in the Alien Anthology scheduled for Blu-ray release on October 26), working with the same colorist with whom he had worked on Avatar. In what is sure to ignite some controversy, Cameron said he had completely removed all noise and grain from the extended version of the film.

The filmmaker said: "It's spectacular. We went in and completely de-noised it, de-grained it, up-rezzed, color-corrected every frame, and it looks amazing. It looks better that it looked in the theaters originally. Because it was shot on a high-speed negative that was a new negative that didn't pan out too well and got replaced the following year. So it's pretty grainy. We got rid of all the grain. It's sharper and clearer and more beautiful than it's ever looked. And we did that to the long version, to the 'director's cut' or the extended play.""

[Lazario]

I don't exactly get it (because I don't know much about the movie's DVD history). Do people like the extended version better than the theatrical version? I believe the version I own, on VHS, is the theatrical. That's the one, am I right, which has made the film so much a part of pop culture?

[Escapay]

Laz, if you got your VHS in 1991 or later, it's the Special Edition (with the additional scenes). The theatrical version was only released in the late 80s, I think, and was only on DVD in 2003 as it was seamlessly-branched from the Special Edition.

I'm a bit annoyed that the Cameron went trigger-happy with his de-noising/de-graining, but he said it's only on the Special Edition. As that was never in theatres, he can do whatever he wants to its presentation, it's his film. But if the 1986 Theatrical Edition on the Blu-Ray is seamlessly branched from that, that means it's also scrubbed up. Hopefully it's on the Blu-Ray as a separate transfer (there's more than enough room).

albert

[KubrickFan]

Laz, if you got your VHS in 1991 or later, it's the Special Edition (with the additional scenes). The theatrical version was only released in the late 80s, I think, and was only on DVD in 2003 as it was seamlessly-branched from the Special Edition.

I'm a bit annoyed that the Cameron went trigger-happy with his de-noising/de-graining, but he said it's only on the Special Edition. As that was never in theatres, he can do whatever he wants to its presentation, it's his film. But if the 1986 Theatrical Edition on the Blu-Ray is seamlessly branched from that, that means it's also scrubbed up. Hopefully it's on the Blu-Ray as a separate transfer (there's more than enough room).

albert

Actually, there really isn't. Added up they're close to 5 hours, and that won't fit on a Blu-ray unless you drop the bitrate down completely, and then it'll look like crap. And then there are the bonus materials on the disc.
I think James Cameron knows what he's doing, and from the reports of others who have seen the movies, they all look fantastic. So I have faith it'll turn out all right.

[jpanimation]

Do people like the extended version better than the theatrical version?

No. I like the added scene that shows the space colony before the aliens were brought back, the one with the little girls family, but it doesn't work in the movie and it should remain a deleted scene. It kills the suspense and the mystery of discovering the aftermath when you have the whole back story before hand. It also kills the plot twist when the audience knows the "company" sent the colony to retrieve the alien specimens and it's no longer a big reveal later on.

[Escapay]

Hopefully it's on the Blu-Ray as a separate transfer (there's more than enough room).

albert

Actually, there really isn't. Added up they're close to 5 hours, and that won't fit on a Blu-ray unless you drop the bitrate down completely, and then it'll look like crap. And then there are the bonus materials on the disc.

Dang, I forgot about bitrate.

Anyway, I'm a bit placated now after reading what Bill Hunt said over at TDB:

• As you might expect, all that talk of de-noising and de-graining has some fans freaked out that the release is going to suffer the same excessively DNR-ed fate as Fox's recent Predator: Ultimate Hunter Blu-ray. Here's the deal: Everyone we trust who was involved, and/or has actually SEEN the new Aliens HD master for Blu-ray, reports to us that the film looks terrific. To the degree that DNR was used, it was applied carefully and with a light hand, with an eye toward striking the proper balance between maintaining the detail and integrity of the image and the desire to reduce grain and address the deficiencies of the stock used at the time. There is apparently STILL grain left in the image, it's just no longer excessive or distracting. Plus, Cameron is no slouch when it comes to the presentation quality of his films on disc, and he approved this transfer and master. Look, there's a VERY big difference in digital mastering when the filmmakers are directly involved in the process, as opposed to when they're not. So we're told the disc looks great, we trust that it looks great and I'll personally work to directly confirm that. My own feeling is that Predator was probably an aberration. Fox has generally been doing very good mastering work for Blu-ray in the last year or so, and I suspect this is going to be a non-issue when we all get our hands on the Aliens disc. 'Nuff said for now. By the way, it's a good interview at Coming Soon, so do check it out.

As for the merits of the Special Edition versus the Theatrical, I generally prefer the Theatrical, simply because it omits the colony scene mentioned by jpanimation. Among the other added scenes included in the SE, a few that I think were vital and should've been in the Theatrical release include Ripley's learning the fate of her daughter (it helped viewers better understand her need to save Newt), Ripley's relutance to step inside the colony (Hicks prompts her to), the brief first-name exchange between Ripley and Hicks near the end, as well as Hudson's extended "Me and my ultimate badasses will protect you" bit earlier in the film where he talks about the weaponry. It helps develop his "I'm a soldier, look at my gun!" mentality, and makes his breakdown ("Game over man!") later all the more saddening. Some of the other stuff (the automatic sentry guns for example) were expendable.

albert

[Mickeyfan1990]

FIRST REVIEW IS IN!!!!!!!!:
http://www.thedigitalbits.com/reviewshd ... 02210.html

Plus Blu-Ray pics of Alien:
http://www.dvdbeaver.com/film/DVDCompare2/alien.htm

and for Aliens:
http://www.avsforum.com/avs-vb/showpost ... tcount=869

Also in related Alien news, it's rip-off sequel Alien 2: On Earth is being released on Blu-Ray (no word of a DVD release yet):
http://www.midnight-legacy.com/index.html

[disneyboy20022]

I'm not a fan of Alien Anthology...however those that are and have not got their copy yet...theirs an Ebay Deal of the day that some of you might be interested in

http://cgi.ebay.com/Alien-Anthology-6-D ... 718wt_1262

[dvdjunkie]

As the proud owner of both the Alien Quadrilogy on standard DVD and The Alien Anthology on Blu-ray I can tell you that I will probably be selling the "Quadrilogy" in a few weeks. The Blu-ray is far superior, both in picture quality and the extras that are far superior to those on the Quadrilogy.

The price is little steep, but in my eyes it is worth every dime if you are truly into all four of the Alien movies. An added attraction is Sigourney Weaver's commentary on "Alien". Well worth the price of admission!!!

[jpanimation]

Great pricing for this set, but I really only want the first two.